Long-standing efforts by local authorities to reduce the number of cars on the roads – by limiting parking near new homes – and keep high-rises out of residential suburbs both suffered blows this week.

Firstly, one Queensland council is adopting an anti-sprawl policy, meaning they want homes to go up, not out.

And the Victorian government is lifting restrictions on the provision of parking near homes where the spread of housing has extended beyond the reach of public transport.

It’s all, of course, in the name of providing more housing faster which, according to the other stories in this weeks feed from LeftField Communications, seems to be going gangbusters, although maybe not, according to this story.

ABC Online – Free

Residential zoning changes proposed for Brisbane as council pursues ‘anti-sprawl’ housing approach
Minimum block sizes would be more than halved, car parking requirements eased, and height limits increased under proposed changes to Brisbane’s low-to-medium density residential zoning. Brisbane City Council expects to add an additional 6,000 homes by 2032 under the proposed changes, which have been welcomed by the council opposition and Queensland’s peak construction body. Ned Hammond

Victorian government relaxes car parking rules around well-connected residential developments
The Victorian government says it will loosen car parking requirements for new residential developments in well-connected areas in a bid to get more homes built. It says the current framework fails to reflect the growth of public transport over recent decades. ABC.net.au

Parliamentary inquiry calls for pause on plan to demolish Melbourne’s public housing towers
A parliamentary inquiry is calling for the demolition of Melbourne’s public housing towers to be halted after finding the Victorian government refused to provide evidence for its plan. The Greens-initiated inquiry heard from tower residents, housing groups and government officials. Kate Ashton

Netting on apartment complex did not meet fire resistance code, Hong Kong officials say
Hong Kong officials say the netting covering the scaffolding around the apartment complex that caught fire did not meet fire resistance standards. Initial tests had suggested the netting was up to standard, but investigators had not been able to check all of it due to the blaze. AP/Reuters

Apartments.com.au – Free

First look: Buildex plans 57 apartments near Castle Towers
Castle Hill’s booming development market is set for another boost, with builder-developer Buildex proposing a new mid-rise apartment building near Castle Towers. Urban Editorial

First look: Immerse Projects reveals debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong
Gold Coast developer Immerse Projects has unveiled what it intends to deliver at its recently acquired Toowong site, its debut apartment development in Brisbane. Joel Robinson

Audrey St Leonards nears completion — settlement bonus now available
Hyecorp is down to its final three-bedroom apartments at Audrey, the developer’s parkside St Leonards South project, pairing the remaining homes with a limited-time offer. Urban Editorial

Freecity secures approval for Crows Nest metro precinct tower
Freecity has been given the green light to develop its flagship mixed-use project in the Crows Nest metro precinct. Joel Robinson

A decade in the making: Mosaic’s long-awaited success story at The Bedford, Kangaroo Point
The Bedford by Mosaic marks the culmination of a near-decade journey for South East Queensland’s most active developer. Joel Robinson

Lewis Land bets big on Biggera Waters as Harbour Shores takes shape
For more than four decades, Lewis Land, Australia’s oldest private property developer, has held a 16-hectare waterfront site in Biggera Water on the Gold Coast, strategically positioning it for a landmark project. Joel Robinson

JL PLACE launches Veil, just nine townhouses in secluded, prestigious Brighton enclave
On a quiet residential street in Brighton, boutique developer JL PLACE has introduced a rare addition to the suburb’s traditionally single-dwelling streetscape. Urban Editorial

BPG Developments secures development approval for $250 million Newstead project
Brisbane-based builder-developer BPG Developments has secured approval for its $250 million Newstead apartment tower. Joel Robinson

Toohey Miller plans rare new apartment development on Oxford Street, Paddington
With three projects currently in market in Elizabeth Bay and Mosman, two of which are under construction and completing next year, apartment developer Toohey Miller is expanding its new development pipeline across Sydney. Joel Robinson

First look: Geocon refines plans for four-tower precinct on Braddon’s Northbourne Avenue
Geocon is advancing its plans for its new mixed-use precinct in Braddon, updated the designs for the prominent site at the intersection of Northbourne and Wakefield Avenues. Joel Robinson

First look: Bilinga beachfront set for new luxury apartment development, KYRR
The booming Bilinga beachfront is set for another luxury apartment development, with plans filed for KYRR, an 11-level block on the dress circle Pacific Parade. Joel Robinson

Coronation receives green light for Archer & Albert apartments in Chatswood
Coronation Property has received development approval for Archer & Albert, a 32-storey, mixed-use residential development in the heart of Chatswood. Joel Robinson

NSW Premier and Planning Minister join Deicorp and Metrics to break ground on $1.8 billion Kings Bay Village precinct
Leading Sydney developer Deicorp, in partnership with Metrics Credit Partners, has officially broken ground on its landmark $1.8 billion Kings Bay Village project in Five Dock, marking the beginning of construction on one of the most significant urban renewal precincts within the Parramatta Road Corridor. Joel Robinson

Brighton-Le-Sand’s $7 million penthouses unveiled
The Seychelles development creates a new landmark for Brighton-Le-Sands, reviving the Victorian heritage of the beachfront and introducing a new standard in luxury accommodation. Jim Gainsford

Brisbane Times

Increased height limits and parking reduction planned to boost housing supply
Increased building heights, smaller blocks and fewer parking spaces will be permitted to spur on housing construction in some parts of Brisbane. William Davis

Domain – Free

Australia’s most popular suburbs in every capital city in 2025
The Domain End of Year Wrap has revealed Australia’s most popular suburbs — the ones that buyers and window shoppers are circling the most when browsing for property online. Maria Gil

How the property market unfolded in 2025 and blindsided everyone
The property market of 2025 blindsided everyone — if not with the rapid reduction in the cash rate, then with the equally swift rise in inflation, and if neither of those, it was the surging price growth nationwide that proved just dumbfounding. Sue Williams

It’s the width of a hallway — but it could be yours for free
The real estate equivalent of a single strand of spaghetti has hit the market in England.

Sydney one-bedder with direct access to Bondi Beach sells for $1.79 million
Sydney’s most in-demand one-bedroom apartment with direct access to Bondi Beach has sold for $1.79 million, more than $200,000 above the property’s $1.55 million price guide prior to its scheduled auction on December 9. Shae Wiedermann

Diane Keaton’s “Dream Home” relisted following her death
The Los Angeles estate Diane Keaton once described as her “dream home” is back on the market, almost two months after her death. The Oscar winner and architecture aficionado spent eight years renovating the property in the affluent neighbourhood of Brentwood.

The Smorgons’ stunning, sprawling sculpture garden estate is for sale
There is something humbling about sculpture, particularly large-scale pieces set in open space. Perhaps it’s the disruption of seeing an unexpected form in an unrelated landscape that captures the eye and holds the mind.

Is a real life ‘The Castle’ situation looming for home owners who live on Parramatta Road?
When the plan was announced to rezone the parts of Parramatta Road wending their way from Leichhardt to Camperdown in Sydney’s inner west, with the potential to build up to 8000 new high-rise apartments, plenty of locals panicked. Sue Williams

Does this McMahons Point apartment have the best view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
A harbourside studio apartment with panoramic views and prized parking is on the market, offering entry into the tightly-held enclave of McMahons Point. Joanne Brookfield

How home buyers are getting $55,000 extra cash, but less value for money
Home buyer hopefuls who can borrow more money than a year ago due to three interest rate cuts may find the extra cash will not help them get ahead. Elizabeth Redman

The ultimate home office: Historic 1930s former boardroom turned multimillion-dollar apartment
The concept of a home office reaches a new level in a multimillion-dollar apartment for sale in Melbourne’s historic Port Authority Building, which was converted from the authority’s original boardroom and chairman’s offices. Cara Jenkin

Sub-penthouse in Sydney’s landmark Sirius building sells for about $20m
Seven years after the last of the housing commission residents moved out of the landmark Sirius building at The Rocks, one of the new sub-penthouses has sold for about $20 million. Kristy Johnson

Realestate.com.au – Free

Listings drop fuels fresh fears of price rises
Spring’s end has triggered a steep drop in property listings, with experts warning the supply shortage could drive prices even higher. New SQM Research has revealed property listings have fallen in November as the spring selling season comes to an end. Kaylee Cranley

450k Victorian landlords risking fines, falling short on rental reform
Hundreds of thousands of Victorian landlords are potentially failing to keep up with the state’s waves of rental reforms, risking fines that could force them to sell their investment. Nathan Mawby – Victoria

Blow to households as major bank scraps RBA rate cut call
ANZ has become the latest bank to scrap forecasts for a rate cut next year as hotter-than-expected inflation dampens hopes for households squeezed by the peak spending season. ANZ joins CBA and NAB in predicting the RBA will remain on an “extended pause” throughout 2026. Sarah Dowling

Massive dual-tower project tops out construction for 250 coastal units
A Gold Coast development with more than 250 homes has sold 95 per cent of its units, making more than $375 million in sales as construction tops out. Nicholas Finch — Gold Coast

Home prices hit new record high but pace of growth slows
Home prices continued to rise at a strong pace across the country in November, but a jump in new property listings in some major cities and the prospect of an extended pause in interest rates is tempering price growth momentum. Benn Dorrington

Gosford penthouse attracts record-breaking $7m bid
A Central Coast penthouse has set a new record for Gosford’s apartment market, selling for $7m. Owen Raymond — New South Wales

Thousands of homeowners forced to weigh selling homes they can no longer afford
One in four homeowners is contemplating selling within two years, as Australia’s housing costs surge to the nation’s top financial worry. Lydia Kellner

Sydney rent forecast: $2k a week to become new norm in some areas
Paying rent above $2,000 a week is set to become the norm for tenants in many parts of Sydney by the middle of the next decade, new forecasts have revealed. Kaylee Cranley – Sydney

Melbourne renters face $10,000 rent rise, landlords push for more
Melbourne renters are facing the prospect of paying almost $40,000 a year for a roof over their head by 2035, close to $10,000 more than is typical today. Nathan Mawby – Melbourne

New height of luxury on the Sunshine Coast
Walker Corporation has redefined luxury living on the Sunshine Coast, unveiling the exclusive Penthouse Collection at Sol by Walker in the Maroochydore City Centre. Stephen Nadin – Sunshine Coast

Sydney Morning Herald

Thousands of units and ‘taller, thinner’ towers: The divisive plan to revive Bondi Junction
More offices or more apartments? Waverley Council is the latest local government seeking to balance retention of its commercial core with the need for higher-density residential development through an overhaul of Bondi Junction. Megan Gorrey

The government is more than 70,000 homes behind schedule, and house values are surging
Despite the government fast-tracking land for residential development in recent months that had been held up by environmental laws, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed dwelling approvals fell by 6.4 per cent in October. Shane Wright

‘Risks to structural integrity’: Photos reveal Sydney apartment tower’s slab defects and leaks
For dozens of Sydneysiders who bought into a multimillion-dollar Pyrmont apartment building, their dream of home ownership has morphed into a nightmare after the discovery of serious building defects including “uncontrolled cracking” in the building’s slab and water ingress through multiple sections of the complex. David Barwell

Forget the latte line. There are now four Sydneys
Sydney’s economic divides remain as stark as ever, with data showing the city can be split into four distinct zones: the uber-wealthy, the high incomes, middle Sydney and those on lower incomes.

Barking dogs, prams and air-con: What Sydney’s apartment dwellers fight about
Battles over noisy pets, quarrels over parking spaces and barneys over building bylaws are among a rising number of disputes unfolding between neighbours in NSW’s strata properties. David Barwell

The Adelaide Advertiser

Five-storey Regis Aged Care centre planned for old Cappo Seafood site on Glen Osmond Rd, Parkside
From a prominent seafood family, to a bankrupt businessman — now aged-care residents could live in style in a five-storey complex near the Parklands. Darren Chaitman

Karidis Corporation’s proposed $130m, 18-storey apartment block would be Glenelg’s tallest tower
With retirement living and serviced apartments, these beachside apartments would tower over Glenelg as the developer calls on Adelaide to grow up. Darren Chaitman

$60m Glenelg apartment block North Shore on Canning St hits milestone, reaching full height of nine storeys
Developers were told they would never reach this milestone — now they’re raising champagne glasses after proving the State Planning Commission wrong. Darren Chaitman

The Age

Unlawful strata fees are banned. Managers are charging them anyway
“Predatory” and unlawful administrative fees charged by strata management companies must be stamped out and owners refunded, advocates say. Rachael Dexter

The Australian

Sydney homeowners band together to sell ‘super site’ for a stunning $173m
Twelve homeowners in Sydney’s wealthy enclave of Rose Bay will pocket more than $15m each from the sale of an amalgamated super site to a retirement operator for $173m. Ben Wilmot and Lisa Allen

The Australian Financial Review

Toorak clocks two $21m sales as crime fears drive penthouse deals
A Toorak buyer concerned with Melbourne’s crime rates has opted to swap their home for a more secure penthouse, paying a suburb apartment record of $20.95 million for the under-construction luxury apartment. Bonnie Campbell

Major pub owners in push to build apartments above venues
Two of Australia’s biggest pub groups are looking to tap into surging demand for new homes by adding residential developments to some of their larger venues, taking advantage of recent state and federal reforms designed to fast-track planning proposals. Sarah Petty

In an inline sale of 8 units, one vendor managed to get $50,000 extra
A two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit at 1/7 Ormsby Grove, Toorak, Victoria. Sold off-market for $1.175 million — more than the other seven units across the two buildings at 7 Ormsby and 9 Ormsby Grove, which sold for $1.125 million — according to industry sources. Michael Bleby

Live like a five-star hotel guest in a $21m Melbourne penthouse
A $21 million penthouse where you can live year-round like a guest of a five-star hotel has hit Melbourne’s trophy market. Bonnie Campbell

The Daily Telegraph

Revealed: How a failed housing fund left a $1.46bn hole in Sydney’s future
A $1.46bn budget black hole has emerged after the NSW government’s housing infrastructure fund catastrophically underperformed, raising only 2.6 per cent of its target. James O’Doherty

‘Vertical retirement’ set to be norm in radical high-rise plan
New plans show Sydney’s next generation of retirees are staring down radically different living conditions defined by high density. Kaylee Cranley

Plans emerge for 10 backstreet homes to be bulldozed for 78-unit tower near Crows Nest Metro
A row of North Shore homes are facing demolition to make way for a 78-unit development as the Minns government’s ambitious housing targets reshape suburban neighbourhoods. Jim O’Rourke

Conquest proposes Parramatta’s tallest residential tower with 78 storeys
Parramatta could become home to one of Sydney’s tallest residential towers — at 78 storeys and a hefty 1000 units — on the former Auto Alley site but Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter is not impressed. Joanne Vella

Sydney greyhound track faces bulldozer for thousands of new homes
One of Sydney’s most valuable inner-city sites faces an uncertain future as the government weighs up thousands of new houses against preserving a 90-year dog-racing tradition. Linda Silmalis

Water brawl leaves new homeowners in Box Hill stranded
More than 50 townhouses in Box Hill are built and ready to live in — but Sydney Water is yet to provide the required approval documents. Residents fear they won’t be in by Christmas. James Willis

Lisa Wilkinson and Peter FitzSimons revealed as buyers of $15m Mosman ‘castle’ penthouse
Lisa Wilkinson and Peter FitzSimons have been revealed as the $15 million buyers of a Mosman penthouse in Britannic Mansions, a quirky, turreted heritage building that crowns the lower north shore. Jonathan Chancellor

‘Monstrosity’: Paddington residential tower slammed by Woollahra councillors over heritage concerns
Councillors in new NSW Opposition leader and ‘pro-housing’ proponent Kellie Sloane’s electorate have accused the government of having the ‘heritage equivalent of blood on their hands’. Thomas Sargeant

‘People are horrified’: Wealthy suburb erupts
A controversial decision made by Waverley Council has officially backfired, with one local mum leading the charge for change. Cassidy Pearce

The Gold Coast Bulletin

Locals warn new Miami development will be a Trojan horse for future high-rise holiday accommodation
If the social media backlash is anything to go by, residents are sharply divided over the real intent behind the nine-storey tower proposed in Miami. Ann Wason Moore

‘Exponential price growth’: Why Rainbow Bay property is selling for millions
Gold Coast developers report strong sales in a suburb where property values doubled in less than five years, with units bought off-the-plan now selling for almost twice their original price. Andrew Potts

Inside the failed attempts to build on the Gold Coast’s iconic famous paddock
A 25-hectare site has become the Gold Coast’s ultimate development white elephant, with several major tower projects stalled since 2005. Andrew Potts

Council to decide on Miami homeless tower after 200 residents object
A proposed homeless tower has divided a Gold Coast suburb, with “middle class” residents fearing it will bring crime and cooking smells to the area. Paul Weston

The Illawarra Mercury

15-storey plan: major overhaul for former CBD student accommodation site
Apartment blocks up to 15 storeys high could be built on an intersection at the edge of the Wollongong CBD. Glen Humphries

Inside the new townhouses planned for edge of Mount Ousley interchange
A developer is hoping people will be keen to live in townhouses on the edge of the Mount Ousley interchange. Glen Humphries

Courtyard living at The Works Corrimal has been stylishly perfected
The courtyard apartments at The Works Corrimal offer a rare blend of generous indoor living and beautifully designed outdoor spaces, creating an effortless lifestyle of connection, comfort, and convenience. Nicki Davey

Once-troubled apartment tower reaches a milestone
It was once one of the most troubled apartment developments in the city but the building under construction in Young Street has now celebrated a milestone. Glen Humphries

The West Australian

Increasing multi-unit dwellings in Perth is the only way to solve the housing crisis
The recent announcement by the State Government to streamline planning and development around 10 train stations to create an additional 35,000 homes in Perth is very welcome. This logic should also be applied to main arterial roads within a 15 kilometre radius of the city. James Limnios

Warwick Quarter: Controversial $278m apartment project set to be knocked back by State Planning Commission
A controversial $278 million development proposal for 1040 apartments across seven high-rise buildings in Warwick is set to be formally knocked back by the WA Planning Commission. Liam Murphy

Unit prices now unaffordable for average income-earners as investor activity soars to decade high
Property investor activity has soared to the highest level in more than a decade with average-income earners now struggling to even get a loan to buy an apartment in some cities. Stephen Johnson

Builder-Developer’s $250m Newstead Tower Greenlit
Builder-developer BPG Developments has been given the green light for a 15-storey residential tower—its largest project so far—at Brisbane’s inner-city Newstead. Phil Bartsch

Urban Developer – Partly Free

Freecity Adds Crows Nest Metro Tower to $6bn Pipeline
A 40-storey tower will scrape skies opposite Crows Nest Metro after winning approval, ending months of debate over height, commercial space and the precinct’s new Transport Oriented Development (TOD) controls. Vanessa Croll

Bulum Rethinks ‘Bus Shelter’ Design for Canberra Towers
ACT-based developer Bulum Group has reworked plans for its refused apartment scheme in the centre of Canberra. The fresh plans for the 14 and 15-storey scheme have dropped the colour scheme of the planned facade after that drew criticism from the National Capital Design Review Panel. Renee McKeown

Toowong Tower Gold Coast Developer’s River City Debut
Another Gold Coast-based developer is making a strategic move up the Pacific Motorway into Brisbane’s inner-city apartment market. Phil Bartsch

Modular Momentum Taking Build-to-Rent to New Heights
Modular manufacturing and AI-assisted design are leading a quiet revolution that is reshaping how living sector developers conceive, deliver and operate assets. And as Freecity executive director of development Michael Romano points out, it’s also disrupting the land use dynamic. Taryn Paris

Modular Start-Up Signex Delivers First Project
A modular construction group has set a cracking pace for its debut Australian project, completing five townhouses in a Melbourne growth corridor in two months. Taryn Paris

Brisbane Reveals Density Shift to Unlock 6000 Homes
The Brisbane City Council has taken the covers off its plans to unlock thousands of new homes in well-serviced middle-ring suburbs. Lindsay Saunders

Valli Group Files Plans for Fitzroy Mixed-Use Project
Valli Group has returned to the Yarra City Council with plans for a seven-storey development at Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, adding to the MAB-backed developer’s growing portfolio of inner-Melbourne projects including sites at Collingwood and East Melbourne. Leon Della Bosca

Japan’s Tokyo Tatemono Joins Lendlease Melb BtR Scheme
Lendlease has secured a new international partner for its $500-million build-to-rent waterfront development at Melbourne’s Docklands. Lindsay Saunders

Co-Living Swap Bid at Waterloo Metro Quarter Goes Public
An approved office tower in Sydney’s $960-million Waterloo Metro Quarter would be stripped out in favour of a residential and co-living-led precinct above the station under amendments now on exhibition. Vanessa Croll

Hotel, Co-Living Approved for Historic Fremantle Precinct
Marprop is poised to move ahead with plans to build on the former Dalgety Woolstore carpark after winning approval for its apartment and hotel scheme at Fremantle. The Urban Developer

Mirvac Tapped for 1500-Home Southern Perth Masterplan
Mirvac has landed the contract to deliver 1500 homes as the first stage of a major masterplan to transform a 484ha tract of horse country into an urban centre. Clare Burnett

Hospital-to-Homes Pivot Planned for Hobart TV Site
Approved plans for a private hospital plans would be dumped in favour of apartment and short-term accommodation on the former WIN Television studio site in Hobart under plans before the city. Renee McKeown

View.com.au – Free

Record $7m penthouse sale signals new era for Central Coast property market
A luxury penthouse has set a benchmark for Gosford after selling for $7 million. The multimillion-dollar result is the highest price achieved for an apartment in the waterfront city on NSW’s Central Coast. Jade Lazarevic

‘Adds value’: Developer pushes forward with 380-block South Coast housing project
Plans are moving forward for a project set to deliver hundreds of homes on the South Coast. Sydney-based developer Sealark has appointed architectural practice Hill Thalis to develop the master-plan design for its Callala Bay development. Brendan Crabb

New heights: $2.04 million sale in Teralba sets benchmark in lakeside estate
A luxury Hamptons-style home in the Billy’s Lookout estate has sold for a record-breaking price, propelling the Teralba property market to new heights by securing the suburb’s first-ever $2 million-plus result. Jade Lazarevic

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